Ballyhoo! High Energy Punk Rock Reggae Party Music

Ballyhoo! is a band that if they aren’t on your radar yet they will be very soon.  They have been traveling the country and rocking fans with their own brand of ‘punk rock reggae sex music’ and leaving a trail of exhausted and happy fans in their wake. Opening for acts like 311 and Slightly Stoopid their sound gets the party started every time.

Photo by Taylor Foiles.

I had the chance to ask singer/songwriter Howi Spangler a few questions so we can find out some more about Ballyhoo!

Q&A with Howi Spangler of Ballyhoo!

Q: Tell our readers a little about who you are.  Where are you from?  How did you get together to start jamming? How long have you been playing together?

Bh! I’m Howi and I sing and write songs for Ballyhoo!. We’re from Aberdeen, MD, just north of Baltimore. My brother Donald and I started the band with a high school friend in the summer of 1995. We had always wanted to be in a band. Our dad took us to see the big 80’s metal bands like Ratt, Poison and Def Leppard and I remember wanting to be on stage really badly. Going on 19 years now. Crazy.

Q: Where does the name Ballyhoo come from.
Bh! A friend pitched it to us when we first got together. I had no idea what it meant. I just remember it sounded cool and looked colorful in my head. It meant loud noise, organized chaos, ruckus…

Q: What exactly is punk rock reggae sex music and how did that sound evolve for you as a band.
Bh! Ha! I was just trying to capture the vibe and overall sound of the band to make it look good in a hashtag. We play energetic party music, really. But at the same time you can take us to the beach with you. I just love playing music that makes us play in beach towns all over the country. You can wear board shorts on stage and nobody thinks its weird.

Q: If there was one artist that you as a band could collaborate with who would it be and why?
Bh! I would love to work with Dave Grohl or Billie Joe Armstrong. Really great songwriters and I think we could do some great stuff together.
Q: Is there one particular moment on stage, either good or bad, that you will never forget.
Bh! I fell off the stage while I was playing guitar for Pepper back in 2011. I was drunk and they would bring me out to jam on a song called “Blackout”. Luckily, the lights went out just as I stepped off the front of the stage, so only the front row caught it, i think. But my leg hurt for months after that. haha.

Q: Has there ever been a point during your career as a band that you felt like giving up?  
Bh! Maybe once a week… No, really though. It’s tough when you’re trying to tour and sell records to stay alive. There’s a lot of disappointment. Opportunities come all the time but most things don’t pan out and can it be really frustrating.  Just gotta keep your eyes on the prize. If I didn’t love this job, I would’ve quit a long time ago.

Q: How would you describe the vibe of a Ballyhoo show?
Bh! Fun. Energy. Loud. Sing-a-long. Party.

Q: Where can people find you playing this summer?
Bh! We’ll be out doing some warm up shows with 311 and Sublime with Rome before heading out around the country for our headlining tour. #SuperHappyFunMoneyTour. Head over to our website ballyhoorocks.com for ticket info.

Thanks again to Howi for sharing some of his thoughts with us.  Whether its at a party, the beach or rocking a stage Ballyhoo! brings tons of energy and good vibes.  I’m looking forward to catching their show when they come to the Culture Room in Ft. Lauderdale later this summer.  You can be sure we’ll write up a review of the festivities.  In the mean time head over to their website to  see the full tour schedule as well as their video for their song ‘No Good.’

About Dave Abrams

Dave has been eating, living, and breathing music since before he could talk. This makes Dave perfect for his role here at Guitar News Daily.